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Knights can't win for Alex

James MacSmith

Coach Wayne Bennett was lost for answers after a lacklustre Newcastle failed to lift for the NRL's Rise for Alex Round, instead falling 22-8 to the Gold Coast at Hunter Stadium on Sunday.

The defeat effectively ended the Knights' slim finals chances.

Before a near capacity crowd of 26,401, Alex McKinnon led the two team out for the centrepiece game of round 19 but a sluggish Knights outfit struggled to deal with an emotion-charged afternoon.

After three successive wins and a round dedicated to their injured teammate, the Knights had plenty to play for, but struggled all afternoon against a stoic Titans outfit.

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"These blokes rained on their own parade," Bennett said.

"It has just been such a crazy season I have given up trying to work out why.

"There is no reason for that type of performance from us today. I just can't get my head around it.

"It was pretty moving before the game when Alex came on the ground and their response to him.

"I thought those things kind of inspire you a little bit, they do for me anyway, but we are all different.

"I couldn't be more proud of the city and the way they got behind him.

"Particularly the reception they gave him, it brought a tear to his eye and it was the first time I have seen him with a tear since it all happened - other than the first 24 hours.

"They deserved a better performances from us today and it just didn't happen."

The seven-time premiership winning coach and one of the most respected voices in the game paid tribute to the way the rugby league community had responded to the Rise for Alex Round.

An NRL spokesperson said late on Sunday more than $1.1 million had been raised for McKinnon and 136,671 people had attended the seven games of the round, with St George Illawarra still to host Manly at Kogarah Oval on Monday night.

"I have always been proud to be part of it, but this week I am more proud of the game than I have ever been," Bennett said.

"It is certainly the first time in my history with rugby league that we have done something like this."

Wearing the North Queensland No.16 jersey in a tribute to McKinnon, Johnathan Thurston turned in a 20-point man-of-the-match display in the Cowboys' 36-18 win over Cronulla at Shark Park on Friday to kick-start their customary late finals charge.

Across town, Sam Burgess led South Sydney to an emphatic 32-12 win over Parramatta.

Also wearing No.16, representative back-rower Boyd Cordner spearheaded the Sydney Roosters to a 32-12 win over Penrith at Allianz Stadium on Saturday afternoon in a return to form for the premiers, who stay in fifth place on the ladder on 24 points, behind the Rabbitohs on for and against.

Melbourne centre Mahe Fonua scored a double in the Storm's 28-14 win over Canberra at AAMI Park, a victory that snapped a two-game losing streak and moved them into eighth spot on percentages.

Centre Dale Copley starred for Brisbane in their thrilling 28-22 win over the Warriors.